IMS defeated Highland 10 – 0 on April 13. Cole Ours led the way in an offensive barrage which saw IMS score six goals in the first half and add four in the second half to end the game early under the new mercy rule implemented this season. Ours finished the night with three goals and three assists, Seth Danga notched two goals and an assist, Jacob Boller had one goal and an assist, and Nick Yutzy had two assists for the night. Jared Schlabaugh, Isaiah Swantz, Cole Yoder and Blake Bontrager each had goals to round out the scoring.

The scoring started seven minutes into the game after an IMS corner kick. The ball into the box pinballed around before Jared Schlabaugh knocked the ball into the corner of the goal. Seth Danga tallied his first goal minutes later, taking a pass from Ours and poking it by the goalie. Ours got his first goal after receiving a pass from Reggie Borntrager, then turning and finding the back of the net. Isaiah Swantz, Ours and Danga finished the scoring for the half which saw IMS with a 6-0 lead.

In the second half the goals were to preserve the shutout, possess the ball and to score when the opportunities presented themselves. Highland did create some offensive pressure in the second half but the defense, including Blake Bontrager, Juan Andino, Cole Yoder and Mitchell Schmieder and freshmen Kobe Borntrager and Drew Blauvelt who saw extensive minutes stood strong.

Jacob Boller

Meanwhile the offense began clicking resulting in a beautiful crossing ball from Nick Yutzy which found the head of Danga for the goal. Ours added an assist and a goal for the hat trick plus three assists. Finishing the scoring for the night were Cole Yoder with an assist from Yutzy, and Blake Bontrager with the assist from Ours. Cole Yoder and Isaac Miller worked in goal with Miller preserving the shutout with one save in the second half

IMS 6, Washington 2

On a gorgeous spring evening on Monday IMS hosted the Washington Demons in an entertaining soccer match featuring explosive scoring attacks along with some quality defensive and goalie play. In the opening minutes of the match, the action was confined to the middle third of the field as both teams struggled to maintain possession and to create any offensive pressure. Fifteen minutes into the game IMS was able to get the ball deep into the corner where Anthony Villatoro was fouled. On the ensuing direct kick, Villatoro stroked the ball toward the goal and a Washington defender was forced to head the ball to clear it from danger. Instead of clearing the ball the ball went back into the goal for an “own goal” and the 1-0 IMS lead.

Blake Bontrager

Washington equalized the score five minutes later sending a long ball past the IMS back line where the forward was able to knock the ball by the IMS goalie. Play again settled down in a back and forth game until Isaiah Swantz took a ball out wide, then sent a cross into the top of the box where Jacob Boller who cut in front of the defender, gathered in the ball and sent it by the goalie.

With five minutes left in the half IMS put increasing pressure on the ball resulting in two goals in a two minute time span. The first came when Seth Danga gathered in a ball at the top of the box, beat two defenders and found himself one-on-one with the goalie. Danga calmly buried the shot. Next Anthony Villatoro dropped a ball to Cole Ours cutting in from the corner of the box. Noticing that the goalie was cheating to cover the far post, Ours sent a shot to the near post, putting the ball between the goalies legs and the post for the 4-1 half-time lead.

Washington came out strong and in the second half and despite the score, the game felt close. The back line of Juan Andino, Cole Yoder, Mitchell Schmieder and Jacob Boller did an excellent job of shutting down the majority of Washington’s offensive thrusts. In the meantime IMS responded as Nick Yutzy found Villatoro who blasted a shot into the upper corner for a 5-1 lead.

Mitchell Schmieder

Washington continued pushing and when IMS attempted to clear a ball it ricocheted around in the box before falling at the feet of a Washington player who put it into the net. IMS responded four minutes later as Yutzy hit Ours on a through ball and Ours found the goal for the final score of the evening.

IMS goalie Blake Bontrager had five saves but snuffed out numerous long balls or crosses into the box before they could be turned into shots.